Chapter 171 171: Prospects

After the brief explanation from Alion, there was only a momentary silence as Raphael started thinking about what he was told. If it was all true, then this information was of great consequence.

If Alion was actually from the future and was telling the truth, that was definitely implying he knew quite a lot about Azekiel. It also seemed that whatever he knew about Azekiel wasn't good news.

"Considering that everything you told me is the truth, the future is more complicated than I thought. But that also means that we are already in the Time Loop Paradox. But how did it start in the first place? If you claim to know Azekiel and me from the future and know me so well, that means we must've been quite familiar?"

"We were. We were in the same team, working toward the same goal." Alion nodded.

"Then how did you not know that Azekiel was going to be here? If you knew Azekiel that well, I'm sure you would've known that this event was what pushed him inside the tower in the first place. You don't know about that, do you?"

"Because that wasn't what happened," Alion answered.

"Then what happened?"

"Raphael?" Alion rolled his eyes. " I told you; I'm not telling you what happened."

"You claim that it's because it'll set some paradox into motion. But you also claim we are already in a paradox. Then what kind of paradox could there be?"

"The paradox which will kill us all. Since I'm from that timeline, only I can know about that... Existence. If you find out about it, it'll be quite troublesome for this timeline, as that will... Argh, I need to be quite careful with what I tell you."

"Just know that killing Azekiel would be doing great service for the future. Even though it won't change much until I can go back in time even more, but that will still... slow things down to some extent."

"Again, everything you're telling sounds hard to believe. How can knowledge set a paradox that will destroy us? If I don't act on that knowledge, it should be safe. Without telling me, you're just asking me to trust this absurd information out of nowhere which I find a bit hard to do."

"I know you're a person who is always suspicious of others. And I don't expect you to believe me either. But as I said, I can't tell you everything. I don't know what might be told and what can't be. I don't want to walk that thin line and risk everything. But I can prove something else!"

Alion placed his hand in his pocket and brought out a small bracelet, made using his hands.

Raphael stared at the bracelet, which had his name carved on it. Not only was there his own name, but there was also the name of his master.

Raphael checked inside his pocket. The same bracelet was there as well. It was the bracelet that he had carved with his own hands. He also wrote the names himself in it. He only made one of it in his lifetime.

"How do you have it?!"

"Definitely not given by you... At least not the current version of you," Alion answered. "It's from the future. Now, do you believe me?"

"I can believe you're from the future. But that bracelet doesn't prove that we were friends. I wouldn't give that even to my friends!"

"I know." The man smiled. "You were very stern about it, and I also know why. You told me you made it when you were seven years old. It was supposed to be a gift for your master, but you could never get yourself to give it to him, afraid that he was going to reject it since it was so crudely made."

"Now tell me, will you tell this story to a stranger or an enemy? We were together for years. We fought many battles in our time. In one of those battles, you dropped it. I picked it up, but before I could give... Argh, why are you making me risk the reality just for your curiosity? Shut up and trust me!"

Alion was slightly irritated at how close he had come to telling something he wasn't supposed to tell.

"I've already proven that we knew each other and that we weren't enemies. Moreover, I'm also offering you your freedom from Azekiel and a way to get your body back because you were my friend. Don't miss this opportunity over your suspicions. I promise, after you kill Azekiel, I can tell you more!"

"Why not now? What will change after I kill him that you'll be able to tell?"

Alion scratched his head, starting to get irritated to some extent. Raphael just kept asking questions that he couldn't answer. Azekiel picked up his arms.

"After you kill him, I would be able to tell you without being at much risk. But if I tell you now, it'll be quite disastrous. It's all because of Azekiel. As long as he exists, I can't let you know about it."

Alion knew that he sounded suspicious, but he also let it come across that he had no choice of his own.

His words did give some clue to Raphael, but never the exact picture for some reason.

"So Azekiel's presence and that knowledge in this timeline are what sets off that loop, even if I keep that information a secret. Is that because you think he might be able to read my mind and know about it? There is always the possibility that he will get that skill in the future. But..."

On one end, Raphael was trying to find what could be the reasoning behind this secret. On the other end, Alion was shaking his head as if finding Raphael's assumption wrong. Raphael didn't see him shake his head as he was distracted by his own thoughts.

"Why do you take so long? Just help me. What's there to lose? You only gain, even if we ignore all the future prospects! Kill Azekiel, and join me! We can both go back in the past together and then solve this entire mess from the root!" Alion firmly stated.